I was excited, anxious, exhausted, and overwhelmed. All those feelings were mixing together as we arrived in Ireland and were whisked away from the airport via our private driver to the driveway of the luxe Clontarf Castle Hotel in Dublin!
Astounding from the outside, the Dublin Clontarf Castle is far more stunning than the online photos possibly can detail.
My bucket list in planning our Ireland trip included at least one stay at a castle, and we did just that.
This post is not sponsored, and it offers my true opinions of the hotel and its proximity to Dublin’s city center. You can catch a bus at the castle entrance, but it was NOT running during our stay.
Now let’s get out of our private transportation and check in to the hotel. Check out my video playlist in this post to see more of the boutique Dublin castle hotel because it’s incredible to savor all of the elements of this destination.
Things To Know About The Clontarf Castle Dublin Hotel
- The hotel exemplifies the word Amazing and breathtaking
- Google reviews are true; it’s royal.
- The Dublin-located luxury castle hotel is close to Dublin City Center
- The posh castle is just 10 minutes away from Dublin City Center, and it is a refurbished, actual old castle.
- The old castle turned into a hotel in Ireland is worth a stay.
- The Rooms are all unique as it is a boutique castle hotel rooms.
The photos you see online are true to tale, as we have been there recently and can honestly say it is what you see! You won’t see photos of a place that does not exist, so no Tom Foolery here.
You will find a Dublin-located luxury castle hotel overflowing with impeccably maintained exterior elegance.
Table of Contents
Upon Our Arrival To The Castle
Once we arrived at the old castle turned into a hotel in Ireland, our jetlag suddenly disappeared and was replaced by the absolute need to hit the ground running and explore the area that led to the front desk before checking in.
Excitement took over, and even though we were exhausted, spent, and hungry upon arrival, we suddenly felt inspired, as in, We are finally here, and the “what now, what’s next” sentiment has settled in.
Seeing that castle excited us, even running on fumes and not a full energy tank! While jetlagged and needing a shower, we were suddenly restless as though we had just eaten a carton of cotton candy and had a sugar rush, so join us on our check-in and quick tour!
Let’s Check-In at the Clontarf Castle
Imagine a courteous staff providing hassle-free check-in with 2 smiling team members, and you will begin to feel the warmth of the gracious castle just outside of Dublin city center.
- Smiles
- Directions to our rooms
- Room keys provided
- An overview of the hotel
- A few seconds later, we found out our room had been upgraded
- And our luggage beats us to our room
Never have I been happier that the front desk staff does not want to stop and chat? Instead, they want us to ‘rest’ from our long journey and “if you need anything, just ask!”
While the bags made their way to our room, we made our way around the first floor of the plush and structurally divine hotel so meet and greet and learn, so we didn’t miss anything and then, we retreated to our room, one of 111 in the boutique Dublin castle hotel.
1 Quick Look At the Old Castle Turned into a Hotel in Ireland
I’ve heard so much about this old castle turned into a hotel in Ireland, and now I can experience it first-hand.
All around me are stone walls, plush velvet chairs, and knights in shining armor (uh-oh, I thought I brought mine with me!)↓
Something shiny has caught my attention, and we will see what it is before we go to our room.
Unbelievable as it may be, this is a knight in shining armor, and it’s not the only one inside Dublin’s luxe Clontarf Castle hotel.
The art deco includes these giant glass terrariums that shelter large candles, truly epic pieces unfolding in front of my weary eyes.
Entranced by the intricacies of our first steps into the Clontarf Castle Hotel, we seek refuge in our room!
It’s time to freshen, rest and then get back to what I love doing, strolling until I’m lost and find my whereabouts with Mike!
In the photo below, you will see the hallways and how aesthetically driven they are, maintaining the feel of a castle all along the way to your room.
Inside Our Boutique Dublin Luxury Castle Hotel Room
If you have loved the exterior and the walk through the hallways, wait until you see our room, it’s as plush as the rest of the decor, if not even more so.
It’s often the small things that amuse me the most, details, you might say, and in this case, it is all about the greeting on the television with MY name on it.
I love it when I walk into a hotel, and the television is the guide, and it has my name on it!
It was a way to acclimate quickly, and we used it!
We’ve experienced this in Hotel LeVeque and many others; it is perfect and welcoming.
Coffee And Tea
We were happy to find water, a fridge, and a hotel water kettle in our room, and we had no idea it would be there.
Facts About The Posh Boutique Castle Hotel Room
It’s very clean, and I did sleep on the pillows (which, if you have read my travel stories, I never do this!)
What else? There were 4 towels, so I did not have to ASK for a Hair towel.
Someone knew me very well before I ever arrived.
What Else Is In Our Boutique Castle Hotel Room?
I’ll be honest; there was more in this room than I anticipated.
The one bonus item was the cell phone, which I will discuss later.
Our room offers 2 slanted windows with blinds and 2 window seats.
The Poster bed frame was gorgeous.
- 2 storage closets
- a few sitting hairs
- a desk
- huge comfy poster bed
- robes
- slippers
- bathroom loaded with toiletries and towels
- a safe
I love the bench at the base of our bed.
It’s great for sitting and placing some items out of my luggage.
The Hallways of the Clontarf were richly decorated, and you can see that in my video.
The ‘handy’ Phone in our Clontarf Castle room
This complimentary wireless phone from our hotel became a lifeline while we were out and about.
Discovering this amenity made travel into Dublin City Center easier, but I will say the phone service was slow.
We used the phone to navigate the area.
Once done using it, we WIPED It clean of all info and did not worry about it.
More Views Around The Boutique Clontarf Castle Hotel
For anyone curious about what else the interior contents of this boutique hotel boast, have a look at any of these videos to get a glimpse inside.
We found many places in the Clontarf that we loved for just sitting:
- The main foyer near the check-in desk was outstanding, with architectural structures and artwork to gaze at
- Sitting inside stone walls that were “jail-like.”
- Stone-crafted floors that came transitioned from marble floors
- Large King and Queen Chairs at the top of stairwells located by the bar and restaurant areas
Proximity Of The Clontarf Castle Hotel To City Center
We were approximately 10 minutes out of the City Centre of Dublin, as previously stated.
Yes, we could have walked, but the weather was not cooperating in February, and it was very brisk, so we opted for a cab.
A taxi from our hotel was always available, and under $15 to get into town, but admittedly, getting home was much more of a challenge as the cab drivers were problematic (worse than Mexico and a bit NYC-like) to deal with when attempting to connect from the City Center back to the hotel.
Once we arrived in the city, we stayed as long as possible, eating, drinking Guinness, and shopping, while sightseeing and people-watching; it was fun (but we share that in some of our other posts on what to do and see in Dublin)
Another day, we took a pretty large walk to Dollymount, and it was a great day.
What Else Is There At The Boutique Castle Hotel?
We share more about the bar and restaurant in the hotel in a different post you can read to learn more.
- a bar
- A restaurant (we ate Fahrenheit)
- plenty of art-filled walls and historical pieces
The hotel is quiet, boasting an attentive and very cordial staff, and the rooms are well cared for, and clean, which is all one can ask for when traveling across the pond to a site unseen!
Are You The Next Queen Of The Clontarf Castle?
You can be the next queen of the castle if you make your reservations and head over to Ireland.
Pack up, make reservations, and enjoy the beauty of a boutique hotel! ~ Dana XO
Dana Vento is an accomplished travel writer who has written award-winning articles for Niagara Falls, USA, and Cabarrus, NC, and won IG photography for Southern Delaware beaches. Dana often offers tips for travel to help you have the best adventures!
